![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MRYCXJF5C4X34ZO3ULIMCI3FNE.jpg?smart=true&auth=0e07563e2015d6049b172f00f1e8bb0084f93a9b42e883ef0e26a3e93d707107&width=400&height=225)
Workers place the used tyres on the belt for shredding.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NHXC2F5HLEZUMEVNVH4FE3E62M.jpg?smart=true&auth=b37ba003777e4d249faa8cb868f5a846b2afa0b94cc63b5035de4e3b540ab08c&width=400&height=225)
Used tyres are collected by Tadweer's waste collection contractor and delivered to the Gulf Rubber Factory in Al Ain to make useful products out of them. All pictures by Khushnum Bhandari for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GN5BPTGVKNYTHVCZOJ7KFVM2MI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e18cd3f2b3a2a9839ed9edba6d65bac7d59331a22c3c2aabeab6bcd2808a8c5e&width=400&height=225)
A worker places a used tyre on the belt for shredding.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GODLEDQ3BXVQP6G4X54IOI6TAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=71fda0aaf2d88689b54f0037938b9d39f8578751f758405d1abdd4272c416b0c&width=400&height=225)
The factory has the capacity to recycle up to 24,000 tonnes of tyres per year.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PUNQDRTR7NOKYON4IATE765QTA.jpg?smart=true&auth=bad2db8410e22c6e18efd06c8f3650914ba2a4d52ba6241309c8ff182cf6548e&width=400&height=225)
Finished rubber products, such as rubber flooring, are made at the factory in Al Ain.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QWB7QXERYHZRAROQBZSCTK3UDE.jpg?smart=true&auth=8218f9620bd3f9c570ab33b237e3d1c6a632fa56a5c4152c5ec1fbfe785a8dcd&width=400&height=225)
Some of the finished rubber products include safety flooring, engineered products, horse mats and shooting range tiles.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PULTZTBL5HI4QTVFCRBWX6H4DQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=ed8d8968da500e66820e00ced3dcd92ace8d3e8efa7fb95c3803f5abb75cb5f1&width=400&height=225)
The recycling initiative ensures used tyres do not end up in a landfill.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KDPREN7MAHBCHT66IT4TVD75OQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=28cbb03b46b90c77c7bd814d4477c5c18e82d6f8cf7a71641bebd6763f1d9f08&width=400&height=225)
Workers prepare the tyres before the recycling process begins.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NDCRRW5MGGDEEE2EX53HNSCNOU.jpg?smart=true&auth=263f277521ca0b10967b36948a58d8d2ea1417b879a3e9f24b9e59442fa2f00a&width=400&height=225)
The shredding process for the recycled tyres gets under way.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GILX3JXB6X5N64ILMJJPPPWMTU.jpg?smart=true&auth=52dad1663c8161f241b07b3b85a2f122d242f410f04d90bf8d19ef32b1a7879a&width=400&height=225)
Worker inside the Gulf Rubber factory in Al Ain. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GTFCUWJETUQZN7IILSNFQV26EY.jpg?smart=true&auth=dceaceb8656c1a4d6ad004d19efba93c2dedb6ed49acf3740c7d64cd3b5803ee&width=400&height=225)
Fibre from the recycling process.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VNAMK4USL6UXBLJWNFU4KSPTNQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=aeb1f2e8990a040d64517fa932713e7f6f41f577a83f62edfeffa6bb17acaa10&width=400&height=225)
The purification process for the recycled tyres takes place.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HRFV7FL73CQNM4EERKG43RFGVA.jpg?smart=true&auth=b14632b50865c1e9df72bcb9fe81ca300a0f07c61fbe91bdfe1999ecc09243f8&width=400&height=225)
Workers prepare the tyres for their second life at the factory.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LJRCCT5OT3KPH4W3CBM3LLFVDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=18ad018fc514fb9da4371144b991421f8879d182d7ba2913c93af1bf7a76e711&width=400&height=225)
There are three production lines inside the Al Ain plant.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MRYCXJF5C4X34ZO3ULIMCI3FNE.jpg?smart=true&auth=0e07563e2015d6049b172f00f1e8bb0084f93a9b42e883ef0e26a3e93d707107&width=400&height=225)
Workers place the used tyres on the belt for shredding.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NHXC2F5HLEZUMEVNVH4FE3E62M.jpg?smart=true&auth=b37ba003777e4d249faa8cb868f5a846b2afa0b94cc63b5035de4e3b540ab08c&width=400&height=225)
Used tyres are collected by Tadweer's waste collection contractor and delivered to the Gulf Rubber Factory in Al Ain to make useful products out of them. All pictures by Khushnum Bhandari for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GN5BPTGVKNYTHVCZOJ7KFVM2MI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e18cd3f2b3a2a9839ed9edba6d65bac7d59331a22c3c2aabeab6bcd2808a8c5e&width=400&height=225)
A worker places a used tyre on the belt for shredding.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GODLEDQ3BXVQP6G4X54IOI6TAQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=71fda0aaf2d88689b54f0037938b9d39f8578751f758405d1abdd4272c416b0c&width=400&height=225)
The factory has the capacity to recycle up to 24,000 tonnes of tyres per year.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PUNQDRTR7NOKYON4IATE765QTA.jpg?smart=true&auth=bad2db8410e22c6e18efd06c8f3650914ba2a4d52ba6241309c8ff182cf6548e&width=400&height=225)
Finished rubber products, such as rubber flooring, are made at the factory in Al Ain.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QWB7QXERYHZRAROQBZSCTK3UDE.jpg?smart=true&auth=8218f9620bd3f9c570ab33b237e3d1c6a632fa56a5c4152c5ec1fbfe785a8dcd&width=400&height=225)
Some of the finished rubber products include safety flooring, engineered products, horse mats and shooting range tiles.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PULTZTBL5HI4QTVFCRBWX6H4DQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=ed8d8968da500e66820e00ced3dcd92ace8d3e8efa7fb95c3803f5abb75cb5f1&width=400&height=225)
The recycling initiative ensures used tyres do not end up in a landfill.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KDPREN7MAHBCHT66IT4TVD75OQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=28cbb03b46b90c77c7bd814d4477c5c18e82d6f8cf7a71641bebd6763f1d9f08&width=400&height=225)
Workers prepare the tyres before the recycling process begins.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NDCRRW5MGGDEEE2EX53HNSCNOU.jpg?smart=true&auth=263f277521ca0b10967b36948a58d8d2ea1417b879a3e9f24b9e59442fa2f00a&width=400&height=225)
The shredding process for the recycled tyres gets under way.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GILX3JXB6X5N64ILMJJPPPWMTU.jpg?smart=true&auth=52dad1663c8161f241b07b3b85a2f122d242f410f04d90bf8d19ef32b1a7879a&width=400&height=225)
Worker inside the Gulf Rubber factory in Al Ain. Khushnum Bhandari for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GTFCUWJETUQZN7IILSNFQV26EY.jpg?smart=true&auth=dceaceb8656c1a4d6ad004d19efba93c2dedb6ed49acf3740c7d64cd3b5803ee&width=400&height=225)
Fibre from the recycling process.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VNAMK4USL6UXBLJWNFU4KSPTNQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=aeb1f2e8990a040d64517fa932713e7f6f41f577a83f62edfeffa6bb17acaa10&width=400&height=225)
The purification process for the recycled tyres takes place.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HRFV7FL73CQNM4EERKG43RFGVA.jpg?smart=true&auth=b14632b50865c1e9df72bcb9fe81ca300a0f07c61fbe91bdfe1999ecc09243f8&width=400&height=225)
Workers prepare the tyres for their second life at the factory.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LJRCCT5OT3KPH4W3CBM3LLFVDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=18ad018fc514fb9da4371144b991421f8879d182d7ba2913c93af1bf7a76e711&width=400&height=225)
There are three production lines inside the Al Ain plant.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MRYCXJF5C4X34ZO3ULIMCI3FNE.jpg?smart=true&auth=0e07563e2015d6049b172f00f1e8bb0084f93a9b42e883ef0e26a3e93d707107&width=400&height=225)
Workers place the used tyres on the belt for shredding.
Reinventing the wheel: inside the Al Ain factory recycling 24,000 tonnes of tyres a year
The factory ensures used tyres are not sent to landfill, helping to take the strain off the environment
![Haneen Dajani](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F2c3a1ee0-7878-4332-8eb7-508eaf968db0.png?smart=true&auth=502c5440a5c40d357cfb18a53fda792824aea1226c0aa454ca42e9cb84274c9d&width=70&height=70)
Haneen Dajani
07 April, 2021
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic